U.S. patent application number 10/461171 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-25 for method, system and apparatus for location based gaming.
Invention is credited to Piccionelli, Gregory A..
Application Number | 20040058732 10/461171 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31997312 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040058732 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Piccionelli, Gregory A. |
March 25, 2004 |
Method, system and apparatus for location based gaming
Abstract
A method of location-based gaming includes the steps of engaging
a program to play a game, determining the location of a target
object, providing the location of the target object to a central
location, obtaining a data file pertaining to an object at the
location of the target object, and generating gaming object data
relative to the location of the target object.
Inventors: |
Piccionelli, Gregory A.;
(Los Angeles, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Anna M. Vradenburgh
Brull, Piccionelli, Sarno, Braun & Vradenburgh
Suite 2350
1925 Century Park East
Los Angeles
CA
90067
US
|
Family ID: |
31997312 |
Appl. No.: |
10/461171 |
Filed: |
June 13, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60389700 |
Jun 14, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/12 20130101;
A63F 2300/205 20130101; A63F 13/65 20140902; A63F 13/216
20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/042 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of location-based gaming comprising the steps of: a)
engaging a program to play a game, b) determining the location of a
target object, c) providing the location of the target object to a
central location, d) obtaining a data file pertaining to an object
at the location of the target object, and e) generating gaming
object data relative to the location of the target object.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein in step a) the game is downloaded
into a player's mobile computing device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein in step b) the target object is a
second player.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein in step b) the target object is
selected from the group consisting of a physical object and a
location in physical space.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein the computing device comprises a
locating element that provides the player's location and
orientation.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of equipping
a physical game tool with location sensing and transmitting means,
determining the location of the physical game tool and providing
the location of the physical game tool to the central location.
Description
[0001] This application is based on U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/389,700, filed Jun. 14, 2002, the
disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a method, system and
apparatus for enabling a user to play a computer game or "video
game" using information associated with a player or object at a
specific location.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Recent developments in telecommunications and data
processing, and in particular the development of broadband
capability in connection with wide-area networks such as the
Internet and wireless interfaces to such networks, offer the
potential for facilitating the transmission and reception of large
amounts of information which may be directed to effectuating an
electronic gaming environment in which one or more players may
interact with each other and/or computer generated objects.
However, at present it is typically necessary for a player to
obtain the desired information and play electronic games at a
single fixed location, such as a home or office computer, an
Internet caf or the like.
[0004] A need exists for a method for enabling players to interact
with each other or objects in a game, or other persons in relation
to the locations of the players, objects and/or other persons.
[0005] A need also exists for a system and apparatus for
facilitating such methods.
SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a method of location-based gaming that includes
the steps of engaging a program to play a game, determining the
location of a target object, providing the location of the target
object to a central location, obtaining a data file pertaining to
an object at the location of the target object, and generating
gaming object data relative to the location of the target
object.
[0007] Other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the
following detailed description. It is to be understood, however,
that the detailed description and specific examples, while
indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are
given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and
modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made
without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention
includes all such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention may be more readily understood by referring to
the accompanying drawings in which
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating an example of a method of
the invention by which a player identifies, locates, obtains
information pertaining to and interacts with a game object and
another player.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Turning now to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a
player first engages a program to play a game. The game may be
downloaded to the player's mobile computing device, such as a
personal digital assistant, laptop computer or similar device. In
some preferred embodiments, the player computer may be connected to
a heads-up display for the purposes of displaying the game action,
objects in the game, other players, scores, remote sensing features
and the like.
[0011] In some preferred embodiments, the user determines the
location of a target object, such as another player. In particular,
the user determines the location of the target object relative to
the user's location. The target object may be another player, a
physical object such as a tree, a water source or rock, or merely a
selected location in physical space which may be used to correspond
to a virtual location in the game. The distance between the user
and a target object is determined using a ranging device.
Appropriate ranging devices include, without limitation, a device
having an element that determines the distance or range to a target
based on the eye positions of the user (e.g., using a cross-hairs
element in the heads-up display); an infrared pointer device; an
ultrasonic device; or any other ranging device.
[0012] Preferably, the player's computer also carries a locating
element, such as a GPS locator, that provides the user's location,
as well as the orientation of the user (i.e., the direction in
which the user is facing). The user's location and orientation,
together with the location of the target object relative to the
user, thus can be used to determine the location of the target
object.
[0013] Once the location of the target object has been determined,
this location is transmitted to a central location, in particular
to a central computer. In particular embodiments, the information
is transmitted via a wide-area network ,such as the Internet, using
a device carried by the user, such as, but not limited to, a
personal data manager, a cellular telephone having Internet
accessibility, etc.
[0014] When the central location is provided with the location of
the target object, the central location searches for one or more
data files pertaining to an object at that location. Such data
files can include, without limitation, text files, photographic
files, video files, audio files, or dynamically changing data
associated with the target object. In some preferred embodiments,
such as when the target object is one or more other players, the
data regarding the location(s) of the other player(s) may be
updated dynamically with new information regarding the present
location of the other player(s) in physical space being supplied by
one or more devices, such as GPS location devices.
[0015] In one preferred embodiment, two players are each equipped
with wireless computers capable of detecting their physical
locations and transmitting the locations via a wide area network to
a gaming computer, which coordinates the location of the players
with each other and virtual objects generated by the gaming
program. The program then generates gaming object data, including
perspective, size, etc., to the players so that the objects
appearing in the heads-up displays of the players appear to
realistically change their appearance in relation to the location
of the players. For example, if the players are fifty feet apart
and across from each other in a large grassy meadow of a park, in
some embodiments, the gaming computer would transmit data
corresponding to a game object of a dinosaur presented in the
heads-up display of the players in proper proportion to appear to
be between the players. As the players move, for example, circling
the area corresponding to the computer-generated location of the
dinosaur game object, the players would receive in their displays a
rapidly updated depiction of the game object corresponding to the
views one would see if one were traversing around a real
object.
[0016] In some embodiments, a physical game tool or utensil is also
equipped with a location sensing and transmitting means. In some
embodiments the game tool is a sword which contains GPS location
sensing and transmission capability. By the use of such additional
devices which can report their location coordinates to the game
computer, players may use such utensils in the game. For example, a
player might appear to strike the aforesaid virtual dinosaur with
the player's sword utensil.
[0017] In some particular embodiments, the locations of the players
and their actions are incorporated into the game, interact in real
time with virtual game objects, such as computer generated
dinosaurs, and such interactions and other game objects are
displayed in a semitransparent heads-up display which enables the
real world to be the backdrop for the game.
[0018] In other particular embodiments, the player could play
against one or more physical players viewed directly via such
semi-transparent heads-up displays, but who appear to be mixed into
or otherwise superimposed upon the computer-generated game
environments which are transmitted to the players' computers for
display via their heads-up displays. The wireless computers may be
capable of receiving voice commands via microphones attached to the
heads-up displays. In one embodiment, the players could request to
play a game in which voice commands are used exclusively.
[0019] Gaming object data as described above include video data,
such as perspectives, sizes and the like. Further embodiments of
the inventive method include additional gaming object data such as
audio, tactile and olfactory information. In specific embodiments,
one or more scent reservoirs, which are carried, for example, in a
headset or other apparatus worn by a player, can be triggered in
response to gaming object data generated by the gaming program.
* * * * *